The Miracle and the Sleeper-Part 5
by Exodus
Summary: Buffy cries, Azrael laughs, Giles worries.


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The Miracle and the Sleeper-Part 5

I don't own the characters

I didn't go to college for writing,

ETC, ETC, ETC…

Please review

The punches came fast and furious. Azrael stood completely unfazed. He was almost smiling, like a proud father. He blocked and parried every blow. He never fought back. This only served to infuriate the young girl further. But as Buffy continued to fight him, her initial viscious anger was replaced by something that seemed to him like pure terror.

Buffy continued fighting even though she realized there was no way she could beat him. But she didn't care about winning. The years of heartache and painful memories were flowing freely out of her in the form of her attack. Normally, she would have let out a smart comment or insult as she fought. This time was different. She was as cold and viscious as any demon she had fought. Finally, after almost 10 minutes of continuous attack, Azrael grabbed her elbow as her arm breezed by him, twisting her down onto the ground. He finally spoke.

"Are we about done with this Kung-Fu crap?" His words were as cold as his manner, he understood her need to vent, but he had grown tired of this fight.

Buffy collapsed to her knees and began sobbing. Her entire body was trembling. She felt the weakest she had in years.

"Why?" Buffy sobbed. "Why did you have to ruin my life like this?"

Azrael had no answer. He tried to speak, but the pain on her face was too great. He knew that no answer would stop the tears. The truth would only make things worse. He knew this would be painful, but he didn't know he would feel it too.

"I did everything that was asked of me…" she screamed. "I gave up my **life** to do this! I gave all I had…Hell I **died** for this! My whole world was turned upside down…and for who? For **you**! So that **you** could fix your own screw-up?"

Azrael knew that she was right. His mistakes had led to the early deaths of countless people…Both humans who were killed or turned by vampires, and the young girls who had fought them. He thought about that every day of his very long life. If he could only tell her what it felt like to live with that realization. If he could only explain to her how much it hurt to spend eternity trying to make things right and always falling short. He wanted to tell her how he felt when each slayer had died…Like a father losing a child. Only worse, because he had caused it all.

He looked down at the young girl. Her body shaking worse now…sobs wracking her small form. Her head hung down. Her small hands running through her hair to pull it away from her tear stained face.

She cried out all the anger she had left as Azrael picked her up and carried her back to Giles' apartment.

Giles heard the crying before they could get to the door. He sprinted across his living room, ready to kill Azrael if Buffy had been hurt. He jerked the door opened just as Azrael reached the top step. Giles reached out to take her from his arms. Then Giles gave him the coldest look he had ever seen. Azrael knew what this girl meant to Rupert Giles. He believed that if anyone could help her during this time…he could.

Giles slammed the door in his face. Azrael pondered for a moment…how can I ask her to do what she must do?

He looked down to the cement steps. He noticed the crack, which had split them down the center. For the millionth time he tried to think of a way to do all of this without the slayer. And for the millionth time…he realized he could not.

Azrael turned as if to walk away and disappeared in a bright flash.

Buffy had cried for longer than Giles could bare to watch. She had been inconsolable. Giles had not been this angry in a very long time. Buffy was exhausted, and had refused to talk about what had happened. She sat on Giles's couch and stared at his bookcase. It was filled with some of the oldest books in the world. But she realized that none of them could tell how to have a normal life. It wasn't too long ago that Buffy thought she had finally accepted her destiny. She had thought that she was at peace with her lot in life. But today's events had changed everything again.

"Giles…I want to tell you some things." 

Buffy told Giles everything. Giles had been surprised before, but this was so unreal. It was as if someone sat you down and told you the secret to life…and you didn't like the secret. If Azrael had been telling Buffy the truth, then most of what the Watcher's Council had always told him were lies. 

"Buffy…I-I don't know what to say." Giles said.

"Say you haven't been lying to me since the day I met you." She said. Giles could feel the betrayed look in her eyes. His heart sank. How could she think he could lie to her like that? This girl was like the daughter he never had.

"Of course not. I have told you the information as it has been told to me my whole life." The anger in his voice was evident. "This new information…I-It…Makes my life's work a lie. I have based the greater part of my adult life on the teachings of the Watcher's Council…and it was all…"

"Bullshit?" Buffy offered. A half-smile spread across her lips.

"Well, Yes…Utter…Bullshit." Giles replied, trying to hide the smile he got from Buffy.

Willow and Tara walked up the steps to Giles' apartment. They missed him at the Magic shop and needed one of his old volumes for the location spell they were working on to find Glory's hideout. Giles could tell by the soft knocking who was at the door. He invited them in and turned back to Buffy. They both tried to compose themselves as their wicca friends entered cheerily.

"Hey Giles…Hey Buff…" Willow had already sensed the friction in the air. She noticed Buffy's tear-stained face and went to her immediately.

"Giles…" Tara began "You **really** should get down to the Magic Shop if you want to have anymore business."

It was then that Giles remembered Anya was running the shop alone. 

"Yes…Buffy…girls…we need to have a small meeting anyway. " he said, looking to Buffy to be sure she could handle this now.

"Yep.." Buffy added "I guess we do have some things to talk about."

They gathered their things and walked out of the apartment.


End file.
